The deployment of advanced high bit-rate mobile networks has opened up new opportunities for delivering a host of services in a way that was not possible with earlier second generation wireless networks. Recent systems including third generation (3G) systems, such as those specified for use with the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) wireless standard, enable the delivery of new digital services such as video calls and the playback of multimedia applications that are comprised of audio and video clips. Modem mobile terminals have the ability to receive these services on a number of different communications networks and each type of network can be characterized by its own service increments (such as minutes of airtime or kilobytes (kB) of data) for which the user is charged service fees.
3G Mobile terminals communicate using various communications networks, such as Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), radio-frequency links (such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS)), local infra-red links (such as IrDA), and other proprietary links (such as Bluetooth). In addition some mobile terminals have the capability to use these various networks concurrently to widen the total available bandwidth spectrum. For some communications networks, such as the radio-frequency-based general packet radio service (GPRS), service charges are measured in increments that are not readily ascertainable by a mobile terminal user. For instance, a user utilizing a GPRS communications network for a communications session, may be charged for service based on the number of kilobytes (kB) transferred.
Conventional terminals, such as mobile telephones, generally include a log feature capable of counting minutes spent on a given network connection. In conventional terminals, this time log is visually represented to the user on a display as, for instance, a total minutes counter. However, a user must remember to check the time log if the user wants to monitor his or her usage. Not only is it sometimes disruptive to check the time log, but a user may forget or simply ignore the time log if the user becomes otherwise preoccupied. For example, as mobile terminal users are engaged in gaming sessions or data transfers utilizing the communications network, the users may not check the usage log since a visual interruption on the terminal display would disrupt game play or viewing of video data. Moreover, in instances in which a user has subscribed to a service for a predefined number of minutes or a predefined dollar amount, the user may not be forewarned that the service is about to terminate. Additionally, while conventional time logs are generally expressed in terms of time, it would oftentimes be desirable to monitor other parameters associated with the usage, such as the cost of the current session or the amount of data, such as in terms of kB, that has been transferred. Furthermore, there exists a need to convey cost information to the user as the user is utilizing a communications network so that the user does not unwittingly spend more in communications service costs than expected during a given communications session.